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GARLIC CURRY(SRI LANKAN).

A Sri Lankan garlic curry that is easy to cook.

The simple flavours of this garlic recipe use turmeric and coconut milk as the main ingredients to give you the best taste.

It’s so good that even your kids will love it, I know mine do.

Sri Lankan garlic curry in a bowl.

Garlic curry cooked in coconut milk

If you love them, then try making this easy Sri Lankan garlic curry.

You won’t get the usual strong pungency from the garlic as it has a coconut base.

The garlic curry will balance off any spicy food you’ll be having with it and even if you are not, you can’t deny its medicinal properties or health benefits.

So eat away!

What to serve with this garlic curry.

garlic curry served in a black bowl with garnish.

Reader reviews about the garlic curry.

  • “Husband made Sri Lankan Garlic curry for dinner tonight. Everyone devoured it, kids included.
    So good, kids included. about 100 whole cloves of garlic went into the pot”.
  • “Thanks for posting this recipe!
    We have an abundance of garlic on our window sill and I’m excited to use it for a curry.
    I would never have tried the recipe without trying it first hand in Sri Lanka… and loving it!!”.
  • “First time making garlic curry and is absolutely delish. Thank you!!!”

Find original comments below.

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Utensils / appliances needed.

  • Chopping board and knife to peel the garlic cloves.
  • A silicone garlic peeler(an easier way to peel the garlic cloves).
  • Medium-sized frying pan.
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RECIPE DIFFICULTY-EASY

How to make garlic curry

The ingredients mentioned below use standard measuring cups and spoons.

Ingredients for the garlic curry.

4-5 tablespoons of cooking oil

A handful of curry leaves(substitute with a bay leaf)

1 large onion finely sliced

1 medium-sized tomato sliced 

2 green chillies chopped

1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

Salt to season(start with 1/2 a teaspoon)

1 cup coconut milk

1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

200g of garlic cloves(this is about 4 heads of garlic, each will have 10-12 garlic cloves, so reduce or increase as you need)

Method

Clean and set aside the garlic cloves and have all the ingredients ready.

all the ingredients to make the garlic curry placed in different bowls.

Set a small pan over medium heat and pour in oil(4-5 tbsp).

Let the oil heat for a few seconds, add curry leaves(handful, substitute with a bay leaf), onions(1 large sliced fine), tomatoes(1 medium), and green chillies (2 green chillies).

Cook the following ingredients until the onions turn slightly brown. 2-3 minutes.

cooking onions, tomatoes, green chilli and curry leaf in a pan

Add turmeric powder(1/2 tsp), red chilli powder(1/2 tsp).

Cook over low-medium heat for 1 minute.

If you love a little crunch in your garlic, you can add the garlic cloves at this point or add the garlic cloves as instructed below.

turmeric added to a pan of cooked onions, tomatoes, green chilli and curry leaves.

Add mustard seed, and salt(1/2 tsp). cook for 2 minutes or until they pop.

adding mustard seeds and salt to cooking tomatoes and onions in the pan.

Pour in the coconut milk(1 cup), leave it to simmer over low heat for 2 minutes, and then add fenugreek.

Cook for a further 2-3 minutes over low-medium heat.

You will see the colour change of the coconut curry gravy for the garlic clove curry.

Taste and season with salt.

adding coconut milk to the cooked ingredients

Add the garlic cloves(200g of garlic cloves, this is about 4 heads of garlic, each will have 10-12 garlic cloves, so reduce or increase as you need).

adding garlic to the coconut milk. scooped garlic in coconut gravy.

Reduce heat, cover, and let the garlic curry cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until the garlic pods turn soft.

If you notice the coconut gravy reducing and want more gravy, pour in the 1/4 cup of water or an extra 1/4 cup of coconut milk.

This part will all depend on how much gravy you want or not.

And continue to cook.

cooked garlic with onion and coconut gravy.

Serve warm as a side dish.

Garlic curry served in a black bowl with pandan leaf to garnish.
 

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garlic curry in a bowl.

Sri Lankan garlic curry(vegetarian, vegan).

Yield: 5
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Garlic curry is an easy quick to cook garlic curry that will surprise you with its clean and mild garlicky taste.

It’s so good that even your kids will love it, I know mine do.

Ingredients

  • The ingredients mentioned below use standard measuring cups and spoons.
  • 4-5 tablespoons of cooking oil
  • A handful of curry leaves(substitute with a bay leaf)
  • 1 large onion finely sliced
  • 1 medium-sized tomato sliced
  • 2 green chilies chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • Salt to season(start with 1/2 a teaspoon)
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
  • 200g of garlic cloves(this is about 4 heads of garlic, each will have 10-12 garlic cloves, so reduce or increase as you need)

Instructions

  1. Clean and set aside the garlic cloves and have all the ingredients ready.
  2. Set a small pan over medium heat and pour in oil(4-5 tbsp).
  3. Let the oil heat for a few seconds, add curry leaves(handful, substitute with a bay leaf), onions(1 large sliced fine), tomatoes(1 medium), green chilies(2 green chilies).
  4. Cook the following ingredients until the onions turn slightly brown. 2-3 minutes.
  5. Add turmeric powder(1/2 tsp), red chilli powder(1/2 tsp).
  6. Cook over low medium heat for 1 minute.
  7. If you love a little crunch in your garlic, you can add the garlic cloves at this point or add the garlic cloves as instructed below.
  8. Add mustard seed, salt(1/2 tsp). cook for 2 minutes or until they pop.
  9. Pour in the coconut milk(1 cup), leave it to simmer over low heat for 2 minutes, and then add fenugreek.
  10. Cook for a further 2-3 minutes over low-medium heat.
  11. You will see the color change of the coconut curry gravy for the garlic clove curry.
  12. Taste and season with salt.
  13. Add the garlic cloves(200g of garlic cloves, this is about 4 heads of garlic, each will have 10-12 garlic cloves, so reduce or increase as you need).
  14. Reduce heat, cover, and let the garlic curry cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until the garlic pods turn soft.
  15. If you notice the coconut gravy reducing and want more gravy just pour in the 1/4 cup of water or extra 1/4 cup coconut milk just to add more gravy. t
  16. This part will all depend on how much gravy you want or not.
  17. Continue to cook
  18. Serve warm as a side dish.

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 377Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 176mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 3gSugar: 4gProtein: 6g

Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.

Did you make this recipe?

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Each recipe on this blog has been written with great care and love to the best of my ability with you in mind.
It’s free and on the blog, for you to try anytime.

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I would appreciate it if you only share the link rather than the full recipe. 

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Gina

Monday 14th of February 2022

This is a fabulous recipe, especially at this time of year when I'm frantically trying to use up all my garlic before it sprouts. I've never had a Sri Lankan dish before, very well worth it. Thanks so much for sharing!

jehan

Wednesday 16th of February 2022

Hi Gina, thank you for trying the recipe, glad you enjoyed the garlic curry recipe and you are most welcome. If you have a vegetable garden, there are a lot of vegetarian recipes on the blog you can try. my potato curry and pumpkin curry are really popular. just use the search bar on top to find these recipes. Regards J

Izzy

Wednesday 18th of March 2020

First time making garlic curry and is absolutely delish. Thank you!!!

jehan

Thursday 19th of March 2020

Hi Izzy, you are most welcome, garlic curry is a healthy dish as well, hoping to do another garlic stir-fry Sri Lankan recipe very soon. Regards, J

Ella

Saturday 22nd of December 2018

Thanks for posting this recipe! We have an abundance of garlic on our window sill and i'm excited to use it for curry. I would never have tried the recipe without trying it first hand in Sri Lanka... and loving it!!

jehan

Monday 24th of December 2018

Hi Ella, glad you love the recipe, this is one way to get the kids to eat garlic, I had another reader confirming this by trying this recipe to get the kids to eat them. I would love if you can rate the recipe so more people can find it. thank you for letting more.

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